Committee recommends urgent ministerial meeting over Wamberal works The Environment and Planning Committee recommended asking the NSW Minister for Recovery to meet a four-person Central Coast Council delegation, after rejecting a bid to include all interested councillors. Council: Central Coast Council Meeting: 3 November 2026 Recorded status: approved BRIEF Central Coast Council’s Environment and Planning Committee recommended asking the NSW Minister for Recovery to meet a four-person council delegation about ministerial authorisation for proposed Wamberal Beach coastal protection works. A bid to include all interested councillors was defeated. The minutes do not establish that the works are approved, funded or scheduled. KEY FACTS - The committee noted an update on Council’s request for ministerial authorisation under section 68 of the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022. - It recommended that Council request a meeting between the Minister for Recovery and a delegation comprising the mayor, chief executive officer, deputy mayor and Environment and Planning Committee chairperson. - An amendment to include all interested councillors was defeated. - The original motion was declared carried, with four councillors recorded in favour and three against. - The minutes do not state a construction date, project cost, funding allocation or grant of ministerial authorisation. ANALYSIS OF THE RECORD - The minutes record an adopted committee recommendation that Council request a ministerial meeting, not evidence that Council has made that request. - The recorded resolution does not grant ministerial authorisation or approval for construction. - The recorded resolution does not provide the proposed works' cost, funding source or construction timing. QUESTIONS FOR FOLLOW-UP REPORTING - Has the Minister for Recovery agreed to meet the specified delegation, and when will the meeting occur? - What is the outcome of Council's request for authorisation under section 68? - What is the estimated cost of the proposed works and how would they be funded? - What construction timing, if any, depends on authorisation? RECORDED NEXT STEPS - If Council adopts the committee's recommendation, it would request that the Minister for Recovery meet the specified delegation as soon as possible to expedite NSW Reconstruction Authority approval. SOURCE PASSAGES The motion proposed noting an update on Council's request for ministerial authorisation under section 68 of the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 for coastal protection works at Wamberal Beach. "6:00pm A MOTION was MOVED by Cr Eaton OAM and SECONDED by Mayor McNamara: EPC-26/258 That the Committee: 1. Notes the update on Council's request for Ministerial Authorisation under Section 68 of the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 for coastal protection works at Wamberal Beach." (Item 4.4, EPC-26/258) The motion recommended that Council request a meeting with the Minister for Recovery as soon as possible, with a four-person delegation comprising the mayor, chief executive officer, deputy mayor and Environment and Planning Committee chairperson, to expedite NSW Reconstruction Authority approval. "6:00pm A MOTION was MOVED by Cr Eaton OAM and SECONDED by Mayor McNamara: EPC-26/258 That the Committee: 1. Notes the update on Council's request for Ministerial Authorisation under Section 68 of the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 for coastal protection works at Wamberal Beach. 2. Recommends that Council requests the Minister for Recovery meets with a delegation of Council consisting of the Mayor, the Chief Executive Officer, the Deputy Mayor and the Chairperson of the Environment and Planning Committee as soon as possible to expedite the NSW Reconstruction Authority approval." (Item 4.4, EPC-26/258) An amendment moved by Cr Walsh and seconded by Cr Smith proposed including all interested councillors in the delegation. It was declared lost, with three councillors listed for it and four against. "An AMENDMENT was MOVED by Cr Walsh and SECONDED by Cr Smith: That the Committee: 1. Notes the update on Council's request for Ministerial Authorisation under Section 68 of the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 for coastal protection works at Wamberal Beach. 2. Recommends that Council requests the Minister for Recovery meets with delegation of Council consisting of the Mayor, the Chief Executive Officer, the Deputy Mayor, the Chairperson of the Environment and Planning Committee and all interested Councillors as soon as possible to expedite the NSW Reconstruction Authority approval. LOST FOR: Cr Walsh, Cr Castles and Cr Smith AGAINST: Cr Eaton OAM, Cr Mouland, Deputy Mayor Stanton and Mayor McNamara The AMENDMENT was put to the vote and declared LOST, debate resumed on the original MOTION." (Item 4.4, amendment and vote) The minutes declare the motion carried and list four councillors in favour and three against. "Central Coast Council Environment & Planning Committee Minutes 3 November 2026 Page 12 OFFICIAL The MOTION was put to the vote and declared CARRIED. CARRIED FOR: Cr Eaton OAM, Cr Mouland, Deputy Mayor Stanton and Mayor McNamara AGAINST: Cr Walsh, Cr Castles and Cr Smith 4.5 Development Assessment Statistics and Major Development Applications - Update RESOLVED by EXCEPTION on the MOTION as MOVED by Cr Mouland and SECONDED by Mayor McNamara: EPC-26/265 That the Committee recommends that Council: a." (Item 4.4, original motion vote) Lisa Kolinac addressed the committee on the Wamberal Beach ministerial authorisation item, and the Unit Manager for Environmental Management spoke to the report. "The MOTION was put to the vote and declared CARRIED. CARRIED FOR: Cr Eaton OAM, Cr Mouland, Deputy Mayor Stanton and Mayor McNamara AGAINST: Cr Walsh, Cr Castles and Cr Smith Central Coast Council Environment & Planning Committee Minutes 3 November 2026 Page 11 OFFICIAL 4.4 Update on Request for Ministerial Authorisation for Wamberal Beach Coastal Protection Works 5:45pm Public Speaker, Lisa Kolinac addressed the Committee in relation to Item 4.4 - . Update on Request for Ministerial Authorisation for Wamberal Beach Coastal Protection Works. Unit Manager for Environmental Management spoke to the 'Update on Request for Ministerial Authorisation for Wamberal Beach Coastal Protection Works' report." (Item 4.4, public speaker and officer presentation) The membership list identifies John McNamara as mayor, Rachel Stanton as deputy mayor, Doug Eaton OAM as committee chairperson, and Sharon Walsh, Margot Castles, John Mouland and Jane Smith as members. "OFFICIAL Central Coast Council MINUTES of the Environment & Planning Committee Meeting held in Function Room 2 2 Hely Street, Wyong Tuesday 3 November 2026 Members Status Cr Doug Eaton OAM, Chairperson Present Cr Sharon Walsh, Deputy Chairperson Present (remotely) Mayor John McNamara, Member Present Cr Margot Castles, Member Present (remotely) Cr John Mouland, Member Present Cr Jane Smith, Member Present (remotely) Deputy Mayor Rachel Stanton, Member Present (remotely) Councillor Guests Status Cr Helen Crowley Present Cr Belinda Neal Present (remotely) Council Officers Status Luke Nicholls, Director Environment and Planning Present Shannon Turkington," (Meeting title and membership list) SOURCES https://docspublished.com.au/centralcoastcouncil/document/bd7fff91-8f17-4fbf-949b-fc6633601bd2 https://minutesradar.com/news/central-coast-infocouncil-environment-planning-committee-tuesday-3-november-2026-3-nov-2026-5-00-pm-minutes-committee-recommends-urgent-min-b9d03bcd7f/ Prepared from public council minutes using automated drafting and checks. No meeting attendance or interviews are implied. Check the original record and seek comment before republishing claims or analysis. Illustrations are generic, not depictions of actual projects.